The weather forecast of strong SSW winds and blustery showers was sadly accurate, as an intrepid 8 set off for Malvern. As usual, we waited until we were totally soaked before putting our capes on, then kept them on after the rain had stopped up the hill to Brand Green to ensure that we got maximum disbenefit. A front gear cable failure at Ketford resulted in one abandonment as we proceded along muddy lanes, loosly following the Leadon to Ledbury.
Passing Barton Court and Morso’s (both closed), we climbed up the zig zags to our pre-booked table at The Kettle Sings, where we enjoyed excellent coffee and cake. The cafe must be on very long piles, as it is above the treetops, and has excellent views over Herefordshire and towards the Welsh mountains. Being above the treetops allowed us to observe a small bird of prey (peregrine?) soaring above the trees.
The surface on the steep driveway out of the cafe had us fighting for the occasional bit of tarmac, resembling the riders on some sectors in Flanders today. While in the cafe, one rider remarked that the wind must have eased as he couldn’t see the trees moving. Well he was wrong, and we had to keep all our weight on the front wheels on the descents to try to keep any sort of straight line.
Having descended the main road from British Camp towards Ledbury, we then went back over the Hollybush in the hope it would be a little more sheltered from the wind. I have to report that the state of the road surface on the Herefordshire side of the Hollybush would make it unsafe to descend in my opinion. After Rye Cross, an attempt to use lanes for shelter may not have achieved the desired effect, but we all eventually made it back to Gloucester having felt like it was a battle all the way home.
55 miles, 3,500′ ascent @ 14.4mph